A series of private letter rulings over the past several years seemed to indicate that a gift to a predeceased spouse would qualify for the gift tax marital deduction and enable use of that spouse's estate tax applicable exclusion amount. In...
A combination of tax-free gifts to grantor trusts and grantor-retained annuity trusts (GRATs) can be a powerful way to transfer wealth. Sophisticated quantitative modeling and capital markets forecasting demonstrate that even a client with a very...
Want to know what clients really want? It's more financial education for themselves and all their family members. This past June, wealth owners from four countries gathered at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, paying close...
Asset protection grows ever more popular and permanent. After spending over six years in prison for civil contempt, Stephen Jay Lawrence is a free man once again. In the statement releasing Lawrence from prison, Judge Alan Gold for the U.S...
We all know what a lousy third-quarter Merrill Lynch had it reported the worst loss in its 93-year history (a $2.3 billion net loss along with a staggering $8.4 billion in bond write-downs). As a result, CEO Stan O'Neal was forced into retirement...
One would think a client's collection of 50 cars, let alone 50 Corvettes, would be hard for a team of financial advisors and estate planners to ignore.
Financial Advisors may discuss charitable giving with clients for the same reason that most people choose to give in the first place: It's the right thing to do. But you can use that discussion to clean up your client's portfolio and simplify your...
Some advisors say they feel unprepared and uncomfortable talking about charitable giving with clients. But those with experience say it’s both easy and rewarding.
